There seems to be two trends floating around out there. Trend number one is my camp: The coffee-lovers. The one's who see the beauty and full potential of those tiny, beautiful, fragrant beans! Camp number two belongs to those who have decided that they should no longer drink coffee for one reason or another: "It's bad for you", "Caffeine is killing us all", or "I like to drink _____ coffee substitute now".
For all the people in camp numero dos: you do you, Boo! There is nothing wrong with you choosing to go coffee-free. And if you are someone who is negatively affected by caffeine, then kuddos to you for recognizing that and taking care of your body. That's awesome.
But for those of us in camp number one, we feel a certain dedication to coffee- like a family member we want to keep safe. We are appalled when someone suggests we should cut back a bit (lookin' at you, hubby 😝😇😘). And we go to bed excited that we get to have coffee when we wake up.
Some may say we have a problem, but I disagree. And since this topic is just oh-so-very important 😋, today I'll be telling you 3 reasons I'm not giving up coffee.
It Connects People of All Backgrounds
How many times have you walked into Starbucks and seen a hippie, a girl in a long skirt carrying a Bible, a lesbian, and a redneck all in Starbucks at the same time? Maybe it's different when you get out of the south, but I know I have! And I think that is great!The fact that coffee drinkers are from all sorts of backgrounds means that we can connect. I can make friends with the lady at the table next to mine regardless of how different we may be.
The same is true for people on social media who somehow always find their way to the coffee posts. All different religions, politics, ethnicities, etc. all liking and commenting on one single post simply because it's about coffee. And that is kind of cool in my opinion!
I appreciate the opportunities I've had to experience new things and meet new people because of my coffee habits, and that in itself is a good reason not to give it up.
Food (or beverages) SHOULD Be Enjoyed
Food and beverages definitely get idolized sometimes. We make food our comfort when we are depressed. We take advantage of food and make it all about how we love to eat instead of about our nutrition. I get that, and I agree that we should not become glutenous monsters who neglect our health for the sake of copious amounts of junk food.But I also believe that food and drinks were meant to be enjoyed. That's not the point of them, but I still believe that God gave us good tasting food (and the minds to create other good tasting food) for a reason.
I'm not on any diet, and I am still having a hard time with self-control, but I do think that people who do the 80/20 rule (80% healthy and in line with their diet, 20% not) are on the right track. And 9 times out of 10, coffee would end up being my 20%. I can give up a whole lot of other stuff that needs to leave my diet, without needing to feel guilty about that 2nd (or 3rd, or 4th) cup of coffee.
There are tons of Bible verses that point to the deliciousness of food and drinks (in a positive manner), and none of the verses that address gluttony give any indication that it's wrong to enjoy food. And seeing that God gives us things all the time that are not necessary but are for our enjoyment, I'd say that God doesn't mind food and drinks being in that category either.
I Just Don't Want To
Look, I just really like coffee. I never want it to be too high a priority in my life and the times that that has happened, I've tried to correct it. But guess what- as long as I am keeping everything in right balance, taking care of myself, and taking care of my health, there's no law that says I cannot be a little, tiny bit obsessed with coffee. Capisce?
Guess what, friends! Even if you aren't a coffee-drinker (whatever the reason), we are so blessed to have things that we enjoy. Whether it's Crossfit, bacon and waffles, Netflix, journaling, or fill-in-the-blank, we all have that thing that we just can't get enough of. Enjoy it. Don't idolize it, obsess over it, or get your priorities all wonky, but seriously, enjoy it. I'm certainly going to keep on enjoying my butt-sized coffee!